The UGC League Winter 2016 season is about to start! The first week of matches starts January 11th for Highlander, January 13th for 6v6 and January 15th for 4v4. UGC has over 8,000 players in divisions across North America, South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia/New Zealand. Players from any of these regions are encouraged to sign up and join the fun! (Remember, January 19th is the last day that teams can sign up.) Visit the UGC website for more information.

An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:

• Fixed a client crash related to the HUD
• Fixed a client crash related to picking up weapons
• Fixed some Mac client crashes related to being out of memory
• Fixed a bug with removing the Gifter's Name on gift-wrapped items
• Fixed paint cans from the Gift-Stuffed Stocking always being tradeable
• Fixed an issue with knives not animating correctly
• Fixed a bug related to the Loose Cannon and bots in Mann vs. Machine mode
• Fixed Engineer's Wrangler contract updating points for players other than the Engineer doing the contract
• Fixed a bug where the Sapper preview would disable buildings when removed
• Fixed a bug with Sentry Guns being disabled for 5 seconds instead of the desired 0.5 seconds after a Sapper is removed
• Fixed an issue with The Concheror regen not being 4 health per second as intended
• Fixed the Half-Zatoichi giving more overheal then intended. Max overheal is 1.5x base health.
• Added the EdgeGamers UltiDuo Participant 2015 tournament medal
• Added an option in Adv. Options to disable teammate glow effects after respawn
• Updated the equip_region for the Chicago Overcoat
• Updated the models/materials for The Chill Chullo

Notes missed from the previous update:

• Huntsman
  • Can be fired while off the ground
• Updated pass_pinewood
  • Fixed lighting/shadow issues
  • Increased size of water tower goals

The Tough Break Update is now live!

An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:
The Tough Break Update has arrived!

• Additional information available on the website (http://www.teamfortress.com/toughbreak)
• 4 new community maps: Snowycoast, Vanguard, Highpass, and Landfall
• 26 new contracts, including contracts which issue loaner weapons
• 4 new weapon collections
• 2 new community taunts: Badpipes and The Bucking Bronco
• 1 new official taunt: Mannrobics
• New community cosmetics case with 15 items

General

• Significant weapon and class balance improvements (see section below for full details)
• Smissmas 2015 has begun! Launch Team Fortress 2 to receive your Spirit of Giving badge, Gift-Stuffed Stocking, and Winter Holiday noise maker
• Added Smissmas 2015 Mystery Gift. Can be found by opening a Tough Break Weapons Case. Have you been Naughty or Nice?
• Added Strange Count Transfer Tool
  • Takes the Strange scores from one item and adds them on to another. The count for the source item is reset to zero. Strange part scores are only transferred and zeroed if a matching Strange part is found. Can only be used between Strange items of the same base type.
  • Can be Crafted by 2 Strange parts in the crafting menu under Rare Items
• Updated Case opening item drop algorithm. Going forward players are now less likely to get duplicate items from the same rarity tier on repeated Case openings.
• Updated several weapons sounds with consistency fixes from community member Mateusz Grzesik
• Updated the scoreboard
  • Re-ordered some of the columns
  • Added an image to represent player ping values instead of the actual ping values. Added an option in Adv. Options to use the actual ping values.
• Updated several weapon descriptions to better detail their functionality
• 'Gifted by' Tag can now be removed from items via 'Restore?' Context action from the Backpack view
• Fixed a bug in Mann vs. Machine where Medic bots with unusually long uber effects could have the effect time-out prematurely
• Fixed a bug where Unusual Slider was not properly saving
• All Strange parts can now be applied to Strange cosmetics items
• Strange parts added to the Backpack Context Menu for Strange items
• Paints now display both Market and Mann Co. Store prices in the Backpack Context Menu on paintable items
• Added case and crate opening animation in Backpack view
• Fixed seeing the fire texture on the Captain Space Mann, A Head Full of Hot Air, and The Tomb Readers in DirectX 8
• Updated the models/materials for Der Wintermantel and made it paintable
• Updated the Caped Crusader to include a team-colored style for the cape
• Players can no longer use blast damage to move during the pre-round freeze period
  • Added server convar tf_preround_push_from_damage_enable for servers to utilize the old behavior
• Fixed the Spy-cicle not melting properly if the Spy is burned while stunned
• Added an option in Adv. Options to batch overhead combat text

Performance Improvements

• Mac and Linux improvements (Windows Direct3D 9 players have these already)
  • Texture streaming now enabled
  • Reduced memory consumption by ~500 megs
  • Faster map loads!
• Players on Mac can now select 'High' texture settings
• Eliminated many cases of hitching when using painted weapons
• Eliminated occasional hitching caused by using mat_picmip 2 (or selecting low quality textures in Video Options -> Advanced)
• Massively reduced memory consumption when using painted weapons
• Improved particle system performance, boosting overall framerate, especially in particle-heavy situations.
• Fixed two most common forms of framerate stuttering / hitching when using popular FPS configs
• Added -default launch option to help players triage performance / stability problems.
  • When run with -default, the game will ignore most convar settings and run purely with default options
  • Upon exit, -default runs do not overwrite the player's config.cfg file. If a player wants to save the settings of a default run, they should execute host_writeconfig in the console.
• Fixed 5 second stall when opening options menu
• VR players: You must now pass -vr to launch options to play TF using VR
• Fixed multiple cases of FPS stutter related to the sound system

Mannpower Changes

• Flags will become poisonous (mark the carrier for death) 90 seconds after having been stolen
• If both team flags are stolen and poisonous, they will return when next dropped
• Fixed players being able to grapple during the pre-round freeze period
• Reduced the number of flag captures required to win from 10 to 7 on official servers
• Regeneration powerup
  • Health regeneration amount changes - Scout, Sniper and Spy increased, Engineer decreased
• Reflect powerup
  • Added pushback force to players who damage the powerup carrier (except for flame damage)
• Added overheal effect to players whose max health is increased by a powerup

Gameplay Changes

• All
  • Base weapon switch speed changed from 0.67 seconds to 0.5 seconds
  • Upon spawning, friendly players will show an outline for 10 seconds
  • Updated various weapon descriptions to better detail their functionality
• Multi-Class
  • Panic Attack
    • No longer auto-fires when fully loaded. Shots can be held and released at will.
  • Reserve Shooter
    • No longer boosts all-around switch speed, instead boosts switch-to speed by 20% and switch-from speed by 15%
    • No longer mini-crits any airborne target (i.e. jumping). Target must be forced in to the air via blastjump, knockback, airblast, or grapple.
  • The Half-Zatoichi
    • Now considered a sword (increased holster and deploy time and increased range)
    • Honorbound changed. Deals 50 self-damage on holster if no kill was made. Cannot be holstered if player is below 50 life and no kill was made.
    • 100% life restore on kill changed to 50% health gain on kill that can result in overheal
    • No random crits
• Scout
  • Pretty Boy's Pocket Pistol
    • Increased health recovered on hit from +3 to +5
  • Mad Milk
    • Extinguishing an ally will now reduce the cool down by 20%
  • Wrap Assassin
    • Now 42% more festive! Ornament shatters on all impacts, dealing a small amount of damage in a small radius. Bleed effect still only applies to a target that is struck directly.
    • Ball recharge rate increased by 25%
    • Damage penalty reduced from -70% to -65%
• Soldier
  • Beggar's Bazooka
    • Decreased blast radius by 20%
  • Concheror
    • Doubled health regeneration rate. Regeneration rate is now decreased if player has been recently damaged.
  • B.A.S.E Jumper
    • Removed hidden property of up draft when on fire
  • Market Gardener
    • Added 20% Attack Speed penalty
  • Air-Strike
    • Reduced blast radius by 20% when rocket jumping (28% reduction when compared to stock)
• Sniper
  • The Cleaner's Carbine
    • Reduced firing rate penalty from 35% to 20%
    • Added 'CRIKEY' meter which is filled by dealing damage
    • Mini-crits are no longer activated by kill, but can instead be activated by alt-fire when the 'CRIKEY' meter is filled
  • Cozy Camper
    • Quadrupled health regeneration rate. Regeneration rate is now decreased if player has been recently damaged.
  • Jarate
    • Extinguishing an ally now reduces the cooldown by 20%
• Pyro
  • Pyros like to collect rainbows! Extinguishing a teammate will now return 20 health to the Pyro.
  • Consecutive Airblasts will no longer prevent enemies from air-strafing until they touch the ground
  • The base Flamethrower's damage fall off over distance has been decreased, resulting in higher damage output at range
  • Degreaser
    • No longer boosts all-around switch speed. Instead, boosts switch-to speed by 60% and switch-from speed by 30%.
    • Removed damage penalty
    • Increased Airblast cost by 25%
    • Increased afterburn penalty to from 25% to 66%
  • Phlogistinator
    • Removed 10% damage penalty.
    • When activating 'MMMPH', the taunting Pyro gains temporary invulnerability and immunity to knockback effects
  • Axtinguisher
    • Properties changed
    • 100% Chance to crit against burning targets
    • 33% Damage penalty
    • 20% Slower attack speed
    • 75% Slower switch-to speed
• Medic
  • Medics now have slightly higher health regeneration when healing a hurt patient
  • During setup time, berCharge build rate is now increased by 3x
  • Amputator
    • Taunt can now be activated by alt-fire
    • Healing done with the taunt now grants small amounts of berCharge
  • Vaccinator
    • Removed 10% health regeneration on proper resist
    • Added slight berCharge build on proper resist
    • Increased berCharge rate from +50% to +67%
    • Reduced overhealed berCharge build rate penalty to 33% from 66%. As this penalty is applied after the base increase, healing an overhealed patient is now 33% more effective.
  • Crusader's Crossbow
    • Healing a player with an arrow now grants a small amount of berCharge
  • Quick-Fix
    • Fixed cases where Quick-Fix berCharged players could still be affected by certain knock-back effects
    • Players can no longer capture objectives while under the effects of Quick-Fix berCharge
• Spy
  • The HUD 'Cloak' meter now displays 'MOTION' and 'FEIGN' when Cloak and Dagger and Dead Ringer are equipped respectively
  • Dead Ringer
    • Initial damage reduction when feigning death increased to 75% from 50%
  • Spy-cicle
    • Fixed a bug where ammo packs from dead players were not filling the Spy-cicle meter
    • Fire immunity shield no longer appears when fire immunity is triggered
• Heavy
  • Fists of Steel
    • Removed deploy time penalty
    • Added penalty of increased holster time by 100%
  • Gloves of Running Urgently
    • Increased holster time penalty
  • Warrior's Spirit
    • Now heals 50 health on kill
    • Damage received and dealt increased by 30%
    • Removed health penalty
  • Eviction Notice
    • Now provides 15% move speed bonus
    • Now increases damage taken by 20%
• Demoman / Demoknight
  • Shield bash now deals damage at all ranges, scaled by distance
  • Melee damage boost after shield bash is based on amount of charge consumed. Now provides mini-crit at 25% depleted, and full crit at 60% depleted.
  • Charging now removes debuffs from the Demoknight (Bleed, Fire, Mad Milk, Jarate)
  • All Swords now have a slower deploy and holster speed compared to base weapons in addition to their increased melee range
  • Splendid Screen
    • Removed the ability to deal charge impact damage at any range (now native to all shields)
    • Now increases recharge rate by 50%
    • Increased blast resistance from 15% to 20%
  • Tide Turner
    • Now grants mini-crit instead of full-crit on charge bash
    • Reduced resistances to 15%
  • Chargin Targe
    • Reduced blast resistance from 40% to 30%
    • Removed fire immunity
  • Claidheamh M r
    • Removed charge duration bonus
    • Now restores 25 health on kill
    • Removed health penalty
    • Now increases damage taken while active by 15%
  • Persian Persuader
    • Removed ammo pickups granting health instead of ammo
    • Added penalties of reduced primary and secondary ammo
    • Ammo pickups now replenish charge
    • Now gains charge meter on hit
  • Quickiebomb Launcher
    • Fizzle time increased from 2 seconds to 4 seconds
  • Ullapool Caber
    • Base melee damage increased from 35 to 55
    • Added 20% fire rate penalty
    • Added 100% switch-to time penalty
  • Loose Cannon
    • Reduced projectile speed (now a visible attribute)
    • Reduced cannon impact damage from 60 to 50. Damage also scales with distance.
    • Reduced knockback from cannon hit. Knockback strength is now similar to airblast.
• Engineer
  • After removing a Sapper from a sentry, there is now a 0.5s delay before the sentry is active again
  • Sentries brought into a respawn room no longer detonate outside of Mann vs. Machine
  • The Jag
    • Added damage penalty against buildings. Now takes 3 hits to destroy a Sapper.
  • Rescue Ranger
    • Healing per bolt reduced from 75 to 60

It s almost Smissmas break, everybody! Gifts under the tree. Stockings hung with care. Bodies buried under a tree in the forest after also being hung with care. Or shot. Or stabbed. Or beat to death with a shovel. Really, it s up to you. The important thing is Miss Pauling s got some kill-contracts with your name on them. And murder doesn t go on vacation.

Introducing the Tough Break Update, featuring 26 new contracts, including weapon-specific contracts and a new weapon-loaning program! This update will also ship with four new weapons collections, obtainable through two new weapons case drops and contract completion rewards, and one new cosmetics case! There are also four new community maps, three new taunts, gameplay balances, and more! Click here to check out the details.

Crash, the creator of Probed and one of the Senior Admins at TF2Maps.net, has been working on a series of up-to-date, highly informative mapping tutorials for Hammer. He's not finished making them, and plans to cover as many topics as possible, from the basics of the Hammer editor, to gameplay theory to art-passing and art detailing techniques. If you're at all interested in learning how to design a TF2 map, or are just looking to brush up on your skills, they're worth a look.

An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:

• Fixed a dedicated server crash related to dropped weapons and the jack in PASS Time mode
• Updated the localization files

An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:

• Added the Arkham Knight workshop contest winners and runners-up to the Mann Co. Store
• Added the Workshop Wonderland 2015 community medals
• Updated the models/materials for The Ward and made it paintable

The Bat Signal dances on a grim night sky above Gotham's police department, as a grim winged figure descends to the rooftop, where Commissioner Gordon waits, smoking a big pipe. He puffs on it grimly.

"I came as quickly as I could, Commissioner. Who is it this time? The Joker? The Riddler? Butt-Pants? Is Butt-Pants on the loose?"

"It's more important than that, old friend," says the Commissioner, grabbing his big pipe with both hands and lowering its weight slowly, with effort, to his side. "I want you to look at these community submissions."

A grim silence hangs in the air.

"What?"

"I said I want you to look at "

"No, I heard you. It's just that I just raced over from a prison break where I singlehandedly incapacitated ninety-six armed guys flawlessly, and then on the way here I also stopped Two Face and his goons from robbing a bank. They were armed too, by the way. And they had tasers. And there was a Medic with them, so every time I took one of them out he'd just revive the idiot again."

"Hm. That sounds frustrating."

"Yeah, I know, I was there. Point is I'm a little busy tonight. So when I see a Bat Signal in the sky, I'm assuming you need to tell me Catwoman shot the moon out of orbit or Penguin blew up the President or something. Not that you want me to look at community submissions."

"I just thought you'd want to be a part of "

"I am five seconds from kicking your ass right now, Jim."

That's right, everybody! We've got the winners of the Arkham Knight Contest! And, assuming you're not a winged vigilante with more pressing time commitments, you might want to scroll down to see who they are!

Winners
Winners will get a list of games from WB. All Arkham Knight owners prior to Nov 16th will get the winning items in Genuine Quality.

The Fear Monger

The Arkham Cowl

The Firefly

Honorable Mentions
Honorable Mentions will have their submissions showcased in the Mann Co. Store along with the winning items.

The Teufort Knight

Pocket Villains

Retro Batbelt

The Buttler (Belt Only)

The Batter s Bracers

Sixties Sidekick Set (Sidekick's Side Slick, The Bat Backup, The Crook Combatant)

The Caped Crusader

The Hood of Sorrows

An update to Team Fortress 2 has been released. The update will be applied automatically when you restart Team Fortress 2. The major changes include:

• Updated the Steam Controller config so +attack3 (special attack) can be bound for items like the Medic shield
• Fixed not being able to run a dedicated server and connect to it as a client on the same machine
• Fixed Killstreak icon alignment in the targetID panel when using cl_hud_minmode
• Fixed an exploit related to the Steam Controller and the turn rate for charging Demomen
• Updated the models/materials for The Medicine Manpurse, The Air Raider, and Pin Pals
• host_writeconfig now writes only bindings and convar values that are not default values. If you want a full config, use 'host_writeconfig full'.
• Mannpower update
  • Supernova
    • Reduced charge up time
    • Increased the amount that damage contributes to charge
    • Fixed a bug where outline effect showed on invisible Spies
  • Fixed a bug where crit melee attacks were multiplying on top of a base damage increase. Crit melee attacks now do the same damage
  • Demomen equipped with shields are now excluded from the across the board 30% melee damage increase
  • Added highlight effects to active revenge powerups
  • Reduced points for a flag capture now that the enemy cannot return a dropped flag by touching it